


And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies

by insufferablelovebirds



Series: everything has changed [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: ( that's a tag wow), (are they considered single parents by this point? idk), Alternate Universe, Appendicitis, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Nurse Harry, Single Parent Harry, Single Parent Louis, publishing agent Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 00:56:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8600782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insufferablelovebirds/pseuds/insufferablelovebirds
Summary: It didn’t hit Louis until he exited the shop that he’d just bought an engagement ring.





	

**Author's Note:**

> _*adele voice* hello...it's me,_ it's been a while for this verse and I got kinda brickwalled with anything else I tried to write so here we are! :D  
>  Things to know: It's been five years in this verse, I'm not a doctor so everything you see is google informed ( plus a post I saw on tumblr that actually inspired that bit). un-beta'd as usual.  
> Title is still from Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran's "Everything has changed"
> 
> *I have no ties to anyone this fic characterizes, I don't know or pretend to know them in the slightest, this is a work of complete fiction and is intended to only be seen by the fandom. *
> 
> hopefully you'll enjoy!

 The glint caught Louis off guard making him stop in his tracks at the shop window.  
“Dad?” Sadie asked aborting their conversation and cocking her head, repeating the few steps she’d gotten ahead of Louis.  
Louis shook himself. “Go catch up with Harry would you? Tell him I want my usual, I’ll be just a second.”  
She shrugged and took off to catch him before he rounded the corner.  
Louis entered the shop with the tinkling of a bell, immediately finding his way around the various bits and bobs to the case in the front window.  
It was a simple silver band inlet with the palest of purple stones.  
“Find something you like?”  
Louis startled at the young woman behind him.  
“Sorry, yeah I did actually.” he pointed out the ring.  
Her face lit up in a smile as she went to her pocket to pull out a ring of keys, quicking unlocking the case and pulling out the ring.  
“It’s my favorite.” she told him handing it over. “The stones are [Kunzite](https://www.google.com/search?q=kunzite+ring&biw=1366&bih=662&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi--bnmu7bQAhXl8YMKHetUDs0Q_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=simple+kunzite+ring&imgrc=oyf62efn_KpDsM%3A), which is said to help lower stress- it’s also a symbol of romance and marriage, to signal eternal love.”  
“That’s fascinating.” Louis murmured turning the ring over in his hands, he glanced at the price- it wasn’t bad.  
“Would it be for you or ?”  
“My partner.” Louis said carefully.  
She smiled warmly. “That’s lovely, it would make a meaningful anniversary gift - or even an engagement ring.”  
“I agree.” Louis said giving her a smile.  
“I’ll take that as a sign to ring it up?”  
Louis laughed and followed her to the register.  
“You know this actually needs a good cleaning, do you need it today?’ she frowned holding it up at eye level.  
“How long would it take?”  
“Two weeks at most, I can call you when it’s ready. It’ll be in good hands I promise.”  
“Okay.” Louis said finally. “That’ll give me time to figure out what to do with it.”  
”Great.” she slid a form towards him, and dropped the ring into a tiny bag, writing his information on it and storing it beneath the desk. “I’ll let you know, thank you, I hope your partner likes it.”  
“Me too.” Louis chuckled. “Thank you.”

  
It didn’t hit Louis until he exited the shop that he’d just bought an engagement ring.  
He and Harry had talked marriage of course, it was something they both wanted at some point, but at the same time it wasn’t necessary, they were busy, the hospital short staffed, Louis getting a promotion and Sadie and Ian both excelling at school and after projects gave them less time and more stress and the matter had fallen off the table a while ago and Louis, it seemed, was single handedly putting it back on the table.

  
“Hey.” Louis ran his hand across the back of Harry’s shoulders as he sat down.  
“Where’d you run off too? Sadie said you got distracted.” Harry asked, leaning back and slinging his arm across the back of Louis chair.  
Louis hummed, peeling the pickles off his burger and setting them on the edge of Harry’s plate. “Saw my old uni roommate, wanted to say hi.”  
Harry nodded, distractedly. “Sadie sit.” he snapped. “And Ian put down that toy and eat.”  
Sadie froze mid dance step and sat, her lip between her teeth, Ian dropped the Rubik's cube in his lap and nibbled at his dinner.  
“Haz..?”  
“I’ll be back.” he said with a huff, standing and leaving the table, headed to the restrooms.  
“That was weird.” Louis swallowed.  
Sadie nodded and sucked on her milkshake. “He was fine before.”  
“He’s probably had a long day. It’s not you two. You know I get snappish when I’m tired.” He directed at Ian who had gone back to fidgeting with his Rubik's cube.  
He felt Louis’ eyes on him and nodded, picking up his fork and finishing his food.  
Harry came back a few minutes later and knelt down between the kids, whispering before kissing their heads and rejoining Louis, taking the half slice of cheesecake Louis had saved him with a quick kiss.  
“Sorry. Long day.” he whispered, glancing over to Ian who had finally sat his cube down on the corner and was fighting Sadie over the puddle of hot fudge sauce at the bottom of their sundae bowl.  
“I shouldn't have dropped off like that.” Louis countered.  
Harry shook his head, popping the last bite in his mouth. “It wasn’t that, it’s just everything today.”  
Louis frowned as he signed for the bill and helped collect the kids.  
“Can we go through the park?” Ian asked softly, once they’d made their way outside.  
“Sure.” Harry said ushering them ahead, he fell in step with Louis, linking their hands.  
“Want to talk?”  
“I was in the Oncology ward today.” Harry said on a sigh.  
Louis dropped his hand and slipped his arm around Harry’s waist, pulling him close. Oncology always struck a painful note in Harry.  
“You do everything you can H.”  
Harry huffed and dropped his head on to Louis shoulder. “I just keep putting Ian or Sadie in their places and how doing the best wouldn’t be enough, how angry I’d be and how lucky we are.”  
“We are lucky.” Louis agreed, squeezing him. “Someday there won’t be a need for Oncology wards and maybe one of the kids you make smile or make feel brave or even our monsters will be responsible for that.”  
Harry huffed out a wet laugh, pressing a kiss to Louis shoulder. “How do you always know what to say?”  
“I work with books all day.” Louis teased.  
“I love you.” Harry whispered, wrapping his arm around Louis’ shoulders.

  ~

   
As usual when Harry had a double shift, Louis met with him in the hospital cafeteria before he picked up Sadie and Ian from their after school programs. Harry met him with a kiss to the cheek, falling into the chair opposite him, rolling his neck and smiling at Louis.  
Louis smiled back and pushed the hot sandwich he’d bought Harry towards him.  
“How’s work?”  
Harry shrugged, peeling open the sandwich and adding pepper. “I’m on the maternity ward today.”  
“Oh that’s better.”  
“Yeah, it’s just stressful and loads of busy work, diapers and stats.” Harry hid a yawn. “How was work?”  
Louis nodded, picking at his salad. “Good, tons of deadlines I had to nag about, but nothing like a dozen and a half infants in my care.”  
Harry chuckled. “You don’t have to do that, you know. I’m not superhuman.”  
“Yeah, but your job is so intense compared to mine.”  
“Lou.” Harry said seriously. “Don’t put yourself down. I don’t like it.”  
Louis ducked his head, sipping his water bottle. “Oh, did I tell you Sadie got sent to the office?”  
Harry choked. “She what? Why?”  
“Apparently one of her classmates wore a skirt and a few of the boys were being bullies so she punched one.”  
“She punched a boy at school.” Harry repeated rubbing his eyes. “What happened?”  
“By the time I got there she was lecturing her teacher about not doing his job is protecting his students- I’m pretty sure he wanted to throttle her- the kid she punched wasn’t hurt terribly, a black eye and she’s got a yellow mark, two more and she’ll be suspended for a week.”  
“Christ.” Harry murmured, “His parents weren’t angry?”  
Louis shrugged. “Nah, his older sister picked him up, their parents are out of town or something and after hearing Sadie’s side of the story told him he deserved it.”  
“She is something else.”  
“I want to be angry with her.” Louis sighed. “but I’ve always taught her to stand up for what she believes. I dunno, I reprimed her but I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same if it were her.”  
Louis shook his head and looked over at Harry. “What?”  
“You’re a good dad and a good man.” Harry said softly with a shrug.  
“You think?” Louis asked.  
“I really do.”  
“You’re the best person and father I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.” Louis whispered.  
Harry bit his lip and linked their fingers together just as his buzzer went off he sighed and stood, finishing off the iced coffee and rolling up his wrappers. “I’ll be home hopefully around three.”  
“Okay.” Louis stood, his hand finding place on Harry’s hip for a quick kiss. “Wake me.”  
“I will.”  
“Promise.”  
“I promise.” Harry chuckled stealing one more kiss. “Oh make sure Ian cleans out his bag, there was something sticky in there the other day.”  
“Okay.” Louis laughed.

  
Louis startled awake later that night when Harry kissed the corner of his mouth.  
“Just me.” he whispered.  
Louis rolled over, slinging an arm across Harry’s chest, and tucking his face into his neck, he smelled damp with a hint of his soap. “How was your shift?”  
Harry yawned. ”Long. One of the interns got sent home so everyone had to pick up their work. God, I can't wait until the trials work out and we’re not short staffed anymore.”  
“Me too.” Louis whispered. “I miss you.”  
Harry rubbed his back, kissing his forehead. “I miss you.”

 

  
***

  
“All we need is milk.” Harry said coming up behind Louis and dropping the loaf of bread into the buggy.  
Louis didn’t answer, eyes set down the aisle, seemingly lost in thought.  
“Babe I know you had some weird craving over the weekend but I don’t think we need to visit the ‘family planning’ aisle.” Harry said lowly touching his hip.  
“You’re _hilarious._ ” Louis said punching him lightly and moving forward.  
“I know.” Harry agreed smugly.  
“We’re getting almond milk for that.”  
“I love almond milk.”  
“Damn it.”

  
“We could, you know.” Harry said slipping into the passenger seat, bags safely stowed in the trunk.  
“Could what?” Louis hummed fidgeting with the radio.  
“Have a baby.”  
Louis paused, thoughts rushing forward at once, mostly ones of Harry cradling a tiny bundle at home, a tired but happy smile on his face as he watched their baby sleep- and shook himself. “Babe I hate to break it to you but-”  
“I meant adoption.” Harry elbowed him. “ I dunno it’s not practical right now, we’re both so busy...just forget I said anything.”  
“No, no.” Louis said quickly seeing the way Harry wilted. “It’s not that it’s...I just... never thought about it. I got Sadie when I was so young and the very idea was so foreign...but I’d love to rise a baby with you.”  
“Yeah?”  
“Yeah, of course.” Louis said with a chuckle. “Who better than my best friend?”

 

  
~

  
“Dad.”

Louis stirred, burying deeper into his pillow.  
“ _Dad._ ” Sadie shook his shoulder.  
“What.” Louis groaned, he lifted his hand from where it dangled off the side of the bed to tap her waist.  
“The kitchen is under water.”  
Louis forced open an eye. “It’s what?”  
“Under water, something with a pipe under the sink I think, you always told me not to go in anywhere with standing water.”  
“What d’you mean Sadie?” Harry asked sleepily.  
“I can’t get much clearer.” she snapped.  
“Hey.” Louis said finally sitting up. “Be nice, now did you do it?”  
She gasped in outrage.  
“To be fair you tried to set the toilet on fire last week.” Harry yawned.  
“That was an _experiment_ , are you really going to hold that against me?” she pouted following them out of the bedroom.  
“Toilet. On fire. Yes I’ll hold it against you.”  
“ _Fuck_.” Harry gasped rounding the corner to find the kitchen under several inches of water. “How do I shut it off? Ian?”  
“There’s a knob on the pipe.” he said as Harry slipped passed him. “It should turn it off, unless it’s broken at the main then you have to shut off the water to the whole building.”  
“Nope, it’s stopping.” Harry said voice muffled within the cupboard. “Thanks.”  
“I could have done it but Sadie wouldn’t let me.”  
“It’s alright.” Harry said climbing out of the cupboard and leaning against it, eyes slipping shut as he yawned. “She was right to come wake us.”  
“Sadie go get the mop, will you? Ian some towels okay?”  
Louis made his way to Harry as the kids ran off, threading his hand into Harry’s hair. “You okay?”  
Harry hummed. “Define okay.”  
“When did you get in? I don’t remember you waking me.”  
Harry stood, wrapping his arms around Louis’ waist, face resting on his shoulder. “Maybe two hours ago?”  
“Harry that’s a nineteen hour shift.”  
Harry hummed again, sighing into Louis neck.  
“Go back to bed.”  
Harry shook his head, standing up, blinking slowly. “I’ll help clean up, I miss spending time with all of you.”  
Louis wrapped an arm around his waist, steering him out of the kitchen. “Go back to bed, we’ll clean up.”  
“But-”  
“I have a few errands to run I’ll take Sadie and Ian with me so you can sleep and we’ll pick up some lunch on the way home and we’ll have the afternoon in, how’s that?”  
“You’re too good to me.” Harry yawned, dropping down onto the bed.  
“I love you.” Louis chuckled. “I’ll treat you accordingly, thank you very much.”  
“Love you.” Harry murmured, eyes slipping closed.

  
***

  
“Okay, we need to be back by three.”  
“Where are we going, dad?” Sadie asked popping her gum.  
“Well.” Louis said holding the door for the stairs. “We have to pick up a draft from one of my clients, drop that off at my office and stop a few other places- for Harry’s allergy meds, and I need to pick up something that was being cleaned- and we’ll stop for ice cream before picking up something so we can binge watch something all evening. Sound okay?”

  
They were all edging on crabby when they finally reached the shop, Sadie swinging the bag from the pharmacy and Ian turning his completed cube over in his hands, bottom lip firmly wedged between his teeth.  
“This is where you stopped the other day!” Sadie said, tucking her hair behind her ear and peering in the window.  
The bell above the door jangled loudly as they entered making Ian wince.  
“You can look around but please, be careful.” Louis said rubbing Ian’s shoulder and looking at Sadie.  
She nodded and drug Ian off into the shop.  
“Hi, Mr. Tomlinson, right?” The same woman from before asked with a smile.  
Louis nodded as he approached the counter. “Indeed.”  
She dug around under the counter pulling out a small bag. “Ah, here we go.”  
She dropped it into her open palm and held it up to the light for Louis, it sparkled radiantly.  
“Wow.” Louis breathed.  
“I know, right? Amazing what a good cleaning can do. Now would you like insurance on it?”  
“I think that would be best.” Louis smiled, turning the ring over in his hands.  
“Is that for Harry?” Sadie asked popping up next to Louis.  
“Maybe.” Louis drawled, booping her nose.  
He filled out the paperwork quickly and they left, the ring sitting comfortably in his pocket.

  
Niall didn’t work at their old ice cream shop anymore, getting a gig playing guitar and touring with a band, he’d recently facetimed them before a show in Florida, face bright red from his time on the beach and a wild grin.  
Louis looked across the table, watching Sadie swirl her ice cream around looking every inch the almost thirteen year old she was, her blonde hair brushing the tops of her shoulders, the frankly terrifying googly eyes dangling from her ears and just a touch of glitter on her eyelids, the way her aunt had taught her.  
Louis ached missing the times she fit in his arms, that she’d ask for one more story before bed. Watching her grow into a young woman was a terrifying experience and Louis wasn’t sure he was ready for it.  
“So what life altering thing are we talking about today?” Sadie asked.  
“What do you mean?”  
“We always get ice cream like this when you have something to tell, when my goldfish died, when Harry moved in.”  
“It’s true.” Ian added.  
“Are you saying I’m...predictable?” Louis gasped.  
“Just a little.”  
Louis laughed and pushed his empty ice cream dish away.  
“It’s nothing bad. I just-” he sighed, his hand slipping into his pocket. “You know I love Harry very much, right?”  
They nodded, sitting forward intently now, Ian set down his rubik’s cube.  
“I guess... I just wanted to know what you two would think if we were to ever get married?”  
Sadie gasped. “The ring! You’re going to propose?”  
“Not right now, obviously, but soon I’d like to. It won’t change anything like in our life style.”  
Ian rolled his eyes.  
“Dad we know how marriage works.” Sadie scoffed.  
“Sorry.” Louis chuckled. “I forget how brilliant you two are- top of your grade.”  
“Dad-”  
“Being considered for going up a grade each-”  
“Dad stop!” Sadie giggled leaving over the table to cover his mouth, she knocked into her empty dish, spilling it. “Ah, oops.”  
“You would be okay if I did?” Louis asked Ian while Sadie went to get a handful of napkins.  
“You’re one of the nicest people I know.” Ian said softly. “And you make my dad happy.”  
“He makes me very, very happy, I love him very much.” Louis agreed.  
Ian shrugged. “That’s enough for me.”  
Louis smiled, brushing Ian’s hair away from his face. “You’re an incredible kid you know that?”  
Ian blushed, stuffing a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

 

  
Harry was reading on the couch when they finally returned, he set his book down and looked over the back of the couch, taking the pizza box from Louis.  
“Smells amazing.” he said twisting to put it on the coffee table. “I’m starving.”  
Sadie and Ian ran off to get plates while Louis dropped onto the couch next to Harry, kicking off his shoes and leaning into Harry.  
“Did you sleep well?” he asked dropping a kiss to his mouth.  
Harry hummed. “I just woke up a few minutes ago actually, thank you I really needed that.”  
Louis fit between his knees, wrapping his arms around his torso, pressing his lips to the exposed skin on Harry’s neck. “You deserved it, when are they hiring again? You can’t keep doing this much overtime.”  
“This week.” Harry sighed hand coming up to card through Louis hair. “Assuming everything goes well I’ll be back to my normal shifts come Monday.”  
“Good.”  
“You two want a room?” Ian asked carrying an armload of drinks.  
“Got one.” Harry replied. “More comfortable here.”  
“Gross.” Sadie said dropping a stack of napkins. “We’re picking the movie, gross PDA parents don’t get that privilege.”  
Louis sat up to plate the pizza. “Nothing gore filled.”  
“Boring.” Sadie sang.  
“Sadie Mignonette Tomlinson.” Louis warned.  
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. Minutes later the theme music of Star Wars blared through the speakers.  
“Sick.” Louis commented from Harry’s chest as they waited for Ian to return from the bathroom. “Which one?”  
“The Force Returns of course.”  
“Of course.” Louis smiled.  
“Mmm, I love this one you can see how well Harrison Ford has aged.” Harry added, his free hand resting on Louis stomach.  
“Don’t exploit the man.”  
“It’s a compliment.”  
“He’s too old for you.”  
“Ahh that’s what it’s about, your unflinching jealousy.” Harry chuckled.  
“It flinches.”  
“If that makes you feel better.”  
“Fine, he is attractive. He’s still too old for you.”  
“Good thing I’m settled.” Harry whispered in his ear.

   
~

  
Louis was fixing the hem on his pants when Harry stepped back into their bedroom, smoothing down the front of his hair.  
Louis wolf whistled lowly as he bent down to slip into his shoes. “You look nice.”  
“So do you.” Harry said hands falling to rest on Louis’ hips as he smoothed Harry’s button up.  
“I thought I always looked nice?”  
Harry kissed the corner of his mouth with a laugh. “You do, there’s just something about you dressed up that gets me.”  
“You too, if we had an extra hour or so-”  
“Don’t tempt me.” Harry groaned pressing another kiss to his mouth.  
“Get Ian, I’ll check Sadie we should have left ten minutes ago.”  
“Mum won’t kill you if we’re late.” Harry reminded, smoothing the back of his hair down.  
Louis knocked on Sadie’s bedroom door. “You don’t know that for sure. Sadie are you ready?”  
He cracked open the door peeking inside when there was no answer. Sadie was curled up in bed, just the top of her head showing over her blankets.  
“Sadie you’re not even dressed yet come on, we’ll be late.” Louis sighed pulling down the the blanket.  
“I don’t feel well.” she whimpered tucking her face into the pillow.  
“Baby what’s wrong?” Louis asked immediately dropping to his knees next to her bed, she was covered in a sheen of sweat when he brushed her hair away from her face, her forehead hot.  
“My tummy.” She whispered voice thick.  
“Haz c’mere will you?” Louis called over his shoulder.  
Harry appeared in the doorway Ian behind him, frowning when he caught sight of Sadie. “What’s up?”  
Sadie whimpered turning into her face pillow again.  
“Sadie’s ill, I don’t-” Louis fumbled, he felt out of depth- a wave of uselessness crashing over him as she sniffled into the pillow. His baby shouldn’t be in pain.  
Harry nodded touching his shoulder as he kneeled down.  
“Hey sweetie, what’s up?” he asked Sadie, voice soft and steady as he felt her forehead. “What hurts?”  
“My tummy.” she whispered again.  
Harry hummed. “Where? What kind of hurt babe?”  
She touched her right side. “Hurts a lot.”  
Harry’s eyes flickered to Louis’.  
“Alright honey bee I need to touch your side and you to tell me if it hurts more or stays the same okay?”  
She bit her lip uncurling herself enough to lay flat on her back, Harry smiled encouragingly at her placing a hand on her abdomen and pressing down lightly.  
“More.” she gasped tears welling in her eyes. “Hurts more.”  
“Okay.” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead before turning to Ian. “Run and get my phone please?”  
Ian turned and left the room.   
“I think it’s appendicitis.” Harry told Louis in a low voice. “And with this much pain I’m worried it’s going to burst.”  
“Christ.” Louis breathed, a shaking hand going to card through her hair.  
“It’s not uncommon.” Harry said taking his phone from Ian with a smile. “But if I’m right we need to take her to the hospital.”

  
***

  
“This better be a social call.” one of the nurses scolded seeing Harry.  
“Personal, but not social unfortunately.” Harry smiled tightly. “Sadie’s have some tummy trouble I called Nick is he around?”  
“Oh poor lamb.” she sighed looking over to where Sadie was curled around Louis. “Yeah he’s in the break room, I’ll get him you can pop her over to room 11.”  
Harry nodded shepherding them towards the room gesturing for Louis to set her on the bed.  
“It’s okay love.” Louis said pressing a kiss to her temple when she whimpered.  
“Shit, Ian-” Harry said looking around as he took her temperature.  
“He’s here.” Louis said touching Ian’s shoulder where he stood behind him, eyes locked on his rubik's cube.  
Harry let out a low breath and wrote down the temperature.  
“Alright, what have we got here?” Nick said stepping into the room, he flashed Louis a smile and turned to Harry.  
“Abdominal pain isolated on the right, pain ranging from persistent to severe, temp of 104.”  
“Hmm.” Nick said touching Sadie’s forehead. “BP?”  
“Normal.”  
“What do you think? You said appendicitis on the phone.”  
Harry nodded.  
“When did the pain start?” he directed at Sadie.  
“After school.” she whispered, cuddling up to Louis.  
“After you had a kick about?” Louis asked.  
She nodded.  
“Physical activity can exacerbate appendicitis.” Nick said moving to the side of the bed. “I’m gonna check your tummy, okay?”  
Sadie nodded, lip wedged between her teeth as Nick prodded at her abdomen.  
“There’s swelling.” he muttered. “I think you’re right Harry.”  
“Who’s on call in the OR?”  
“Mmm I think Thompson.”  
Harry made a face. “I thought Greg was on?”  
“You just missed him, although he’s still in the lounge.” Nick said with a shrug.  
“Great, he owes me a favor.”  
“Harry half the hospital owes you a favor.”

  
“So busy, like bees” Louis muttered making Sadie giggle as nurses flitted in and out of the room.  
“Alright, so what’s gonna happen is a nice nurse is going to help you put on this flattering piece.” Greg said holding up the hospital gown. “And then you’re going to go into a room with a huge lamp and you’re going to have a nice sleep and when you wake you’ll be apendix-less, okay?”  
Sadie nodded, Greg gave her a warm smile and excused himself from the room.  
“Harry is going to be with you the whole time and I’ll be right here when you wake up, it’ll be just fine.” Louis said, lips brushing her forehead as he smoothed back her hair.  
“I know dad.”  
“My brave girl.”  
“Daddy don’t cry it’ll be messy.”  
Louis let out a wet chuckle. “I won’t then, just for you.”  
“Ready Sadie?” one of the nurses asked smiling kindly at them.  
Sadie kissed Louis cheek and nodded. “Love you.”  
“Love you too babe, I’ll see you in a bit.”  
Louis let out a long breath before turning to Ian, he held out his arms and Ian tripped over from his hiding place behind the door.  
“C’mon kiddo let’s see if we can find some hot chocolate.”

 

  
Louis rubbed the back of his neck, muscles stiff with tension.  
“I dunno if she’ll be up to visitors mum.” he said softly, he’d already called Anne, apologizing for missing dinner and promising her she didn’t need to come, - yes he’d call once she was out, no she really didn’t need to send over flowers for Sadie….yeah he’d look out for the teddy bear and balloons in the morning for her.  
“And I hate to make you drive here if she’s not, especially with the twins sick.”  
“I probably shouldn’t be around her anyway, this cold is already a handful.” Jay sighed. “How’s Ian?”  
Louis glanced over his shoulder, Ian was hunched over his phone, earbuds firmly in place drowning out the sounds of the hospital.  
“He’s dealing, he hates it here but he’s more concerned about Sadie.”  
“He’s a good boy, you and Harry have done so well with them both.”  
Louis swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I’m going to let you go mum, love you.”  
He slid his phone into his pocket and dropped into the chair next to Ian, pulling out one of his earbuds.  
“What level?”  
“Seventy-three.” Ian said softly, eyes not leaving the screen.  
Louis sighed. “I can’t get past six.”  
Ian’s lips quirked up just as Harry pushed through the door, weaving his way across the room.  
Louis froze as he approached, heart jumping, he looked tired as he knelt down a hand on both Ian and Louis’ knees.  
“She’s being moved to recovery now.” he said with a soft smile. “It went perfectly.”  
Louis clenched his jaw and nodded and Harry was pulling him into his arms.  
“She’s okay, I promised you she’d be okay.”  
“I know.” Louis murmured thickly.  
“Come on, she’s still out but I’ll take you to her room.”  
They stood and Harry wrapped an arm around Ian’s shoulders with a whispered. “You’re amazing.”

  
“She probably won’t wake until morning.” Harry said ushering them into the room, Louis touched his hip as he passed, making a beeline for the chair next to the bed.  
Sadie looked like she was sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling evenly, Louis pressed a kiss to her forehead, settling into the chair, calmer now that he was with her.  
“I’ve got spare clothes in my locker if you want to change.” Ian was snug to Harry’s side.  
Louis shook his head. “I’m okay.”  
Harry smiled and kissed the top of Ian’s head. “Be right back.”

 

  
Ian was curled up in the spare chair sound asleep when Harry returned, he smiled and woke him enough to convince him to curl up at the foot of Sadie’s bed and slip his oversized sweater over his head with a murmured a good night.  
“Hey.” Harry murmured draping something over Louis shoulders, “I got your hoodie from the car, you’re always cold.”  
“You’re the best.” Louis said shrugging into it as Harry settled into the chair next to him.  
Harry watched him, hands buried in the pocket of his hoodie. “How are you?”  
“Fine.”  
“Okay, how are you really?” Harry asked, hand coming to rub his knee.  
Louis covered his hand with his own. “Better now that I can see her.”  
Harry leaned over and kissed his shoulder.  
“Thank you for taking care of her.”  
“You don’t have to thank me.” Harry said entwining their fingers. “I’m sort of fond of her.”  
Louis chuckled. “She’s easy to love.”  
“She gets it from her dad.”  
“Sap.”  
Harry laughed softly. “Did you call your mum and let her know?”  
Louis nodded. “The twins are passing around a cold so she doesn’t want to come unless Sadie needs her. I’m sorry we missed dinner with your mum.”  
Harry shrugged, wrapping his arm around Louis shoulders. “No big deal, we can go when Sadie’s healed, Ian and I had lunch with her about a week ago so she’s not desperately missing us.”  
“This is not how I planned tonight.” Louis sighed, dropping his head onto Harry’s shoulder.  
“Does anything ever go as planned?”  
Louis sighed again, sitting up straight. “No, but I’d been working on it for weeks, I wanted it perfect.”  
“What were these plans for then?” Harry shifted to tuck Sadie’s arms under her blanket.  
Louis watched Harry brush the hair out of Sadie’s face, and press a kiss to Ian’s head before sitting back down. His hand went down to feel the outline of the ring in his pocket.  
“To tell you how lucky I feel that I get to love you, " he started, eyes catching Harry's. "That I never believed in that soulmates existed before you. That I want to watch and fret over Sadie and Ian growing up with you, that I want to raise a baby with you.  
To tell you that, if you’ll have me, I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you and I want everyone to know that I get to love you.” Louis felt flushed, heart loud in his ears as he slowly freed the ring from his pocket.  
“Lou.” Harry whispered, eyes twinkling in the low light, his lip wedged between his teeth.  
“So the plan was.” Louis paused holding the ring at eye level. “To ask if you’d marry me.”  
Harry let out a wet chuckle, hand coming up to cover his mouth. “Of course.”  
Louis let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Yeah?”  
Harry laughed again. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”  
Louis slipped the ring on his finger and Harry kissed him; the chair’s arm was digging into his thigh and his foot was falling asleep but it was the best kiss he’d ever had, he was kissing his _fiancé._  
“I love you.” Harry murmured, lips brushing Louis.  
“I love you too.” Louis murmured back. “Obviously.”  
Harry laughed into their next kiss. “I’m gonna marry you.”

 

  
“I can’t _believe_ you didn’t wake me up.” Sadie pouted, stabbing moodily at her jello cup. “You better not let me sleep through the wedding.”  
Louis rolled his eyes from his perch at the end of the bed, helping Ian count peas.  
“I guess this would be a bad time to tell you about that then.” Harry said appearing in the doorway balancing a cup tray and a stack of magazines.  
Louis snorted as Sadie shot him a dirty look.  
“You aren’t funny.”  
“I’m hilarious.” Harry said kissing the top of her head and setting a cup down in front of her. “And I brought hot chocolate.”  
“You’re forgiven.” she sighed before pointing at Louis. “Not you though.”  
“What if.” Louis said, pausing to accept the cup of coffee from Harry with a kiss. “What if you got to tell Nan?”  
“Which Nan?” Ian asked softly, pushing aside the plate of peas and clutching his hot chocolate close.  
“My mum.”  
“She’s going to freak out- they both are.” Sadie said gleefully, exchanging a look with Ian.  
“Which is exactly why we’re not saying anything until she comes to visit in a few days.”  
“But _dad_ , it would be fun.”  
“Hey.” Harry interrupted her whine. “Give us a few days to be engaged before your nans start on us to start planning it, yeah?”  
She sighed smile still stretching her face, a wicked twinkle in her shared glance with Ian. “Okay, but can I have ice cream?”  
“So demanding.” Louis sighed getting to his feet after a moment, he leaned down to kiss Harry.  
“Guess what?” he asked softly, just for them.  
Harry hummed with a soft smile.”What?”  
“I get to marry you.”  
“I get to marry my best friend.” Harry agreed with a bright smile.  
Louis bit back his own smile, kissing him again. “I can’t wait to tell everyone.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://therosiestofdaggers.tumblr.com)


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